Alumni Post: Courtney Nash

The Wesley Foundation was a place where things in my life began to change for the better. Upon entering I had no clue what I was getting myself into, but I knew one thing: this place was rather strange, from the people to the building itself. At this time in my life, I was yearning for a breakthrough in my relationship with Christ. At the peak of my searching for Christ, I met God here, at the Wesley Foundation. I've seen God in other places, no doubt, but it was here where I received the clearest image of Him. I would see glimpses of Him on the walls where people have poured their hearts out in artwork and various responses to God in and out of the chapel.

I was pursued with persistence. I was met with intentionality and wanted to be known. I was acknowledged and I was loved. I was encouraged and built up. I was shown my gifts & strengths and struggles & weaknesses. All of these things came about through the Holy Spirit within the community as well as me making myself vulnerable. It was here where I found my true identity, as a regular human being and a child of God. I was offered spiritual nourishment which I like to think was similar to the manna offered to the Israelites and I accepted. In acceptance, I and many others within the Wesley community grew exponentially. I found the big moments with God to be incredibly big and the small moments to be just as big. God blessed us tenfold and beyond.  

I was an interning staff member for two years which opened my eyes to so much! As a leader of Wesley, God set me as a watchman over the congregation, revealing Himself a guide and growing in me much wisdom. He gave me eyes and a heart to see the community as a whole and strengthened my ability to lead. My relationship with Christ was deepened and nearly everything that was given to me upon my entry of the Wesley by the people, I offered more in return hoping that people would become connected with the love and truth of God.

I've transitioned from a ministry intern to a missionary that is one of five caretakers of about forty-five orphans at New Hope for Orphans Orphanage located in Cambodia. I have always had a heart for the youth. Besides caring for and leading the children into various activities, I teach English and music (guitar, keyboard, and box drum), lead the children in worship through music and preaching, and guide/translator for various mission teams that come to serve our community. The work can take its toll on a person, especially if one isn’t depending on the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Besides the orphanage work, I have tagged along with local worship leaders and preachers that I met in 2016 whose goal is to “raise up the next generation under Jesus Christ” throughout the country, visiting their homeland and other places they know. We go to a variety of homes to share the Gospel in a few ways and/or to follow up. We, also, gather the children in the village and play games with them, sing songs, and present a small message for them. While participating in their ministries, I have witnessed a handful of miracles and nearly hundreds of people come to accept Jesus. Though the follow-up is vital at times because they may backslide into Buddhism.

I love everything that I do and what I’m prompted into doing. The genuineness - how real my work and relationships are to me and them. I love the burden in it because it challenges and humbles me to a degree that reminds me of the trials I went through to become a leader at Wesley. I needed all of God. I tried my best to come to Him before I did anything. I was in prayer so much and I was in awe by the ways He responded to me and to those around me. It is as if I have been taken back to the beginning of my journey as a leader in the church and the beginning of growth in my relationship with Christ.

God has gifted me with a heart of compassion for people, but it was sharpened and matured at the Wesley. By true love with God, we see people’s true identity. I have learned to see with the eyes of God - seeing their identity and gifts. Through this love, walls are destroyed and any type of scheme that the enemy uses on us to distort the image of another person are counted as powerless over us. I’m with groups of people who carry a lot of baggage dating from before they were born and some believe they are are not good or have caused a problem in their families. The love of God is needed to dispel these kinds of lies that can send one spiraling into an identity crisis.

I’ve learned to speak boldly, even in moments where I am doubting myself or in my own conviction. I would stay silent about certain things until it was big enough to talk about it, but during my internship at the Wesley Foundation I came across this scripture in Ezekiel 3:18-20 that tells that if we do not warn the wicked and the righteous who have stumbled from the way, their blood is on our hands. Pushing through the cultural differences here, I have a few conversations with the young and old that would be considered off limits (e.g. telling one not to trust in the power of a bracelet that protects their children from evil spirits). My job is not to tell them of their wrongdoings, but to unapologetically paint this picture of the culture of Heaven and of God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit and to invite in participation.

Courtney Nash graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 2014 with a degree in Psychology. He is a faithful servant of Jesus currently working as a missionary volunteer at New Hope for Orphans in Cambodia. Courtney interned at the Wesley Foundation from July 2015-June 2017 and was a zealous and inspiring leader in the community!